🗞 Is Halifax becoming a fire prevention leader?

Happy Friday Halifax!

I hope you all get to have a warm and relaxing weekend indoors, away from the cold snap Halifax is in right now. But if you do want to get out on the town over the next few days, check out our event planner that was featured in yesterday’s newsletter.

– Alyssa

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: ⛅️ -2°

Tomorrow: ☁️ -5°

Next Day: ❄️ -3°

7-day forecast

🚗 Driving today? Check out the current traffic conditions and ongoing road closures.

AUDIT & FINANCE

Is Halifax becoming a fire prevention leader?

The city’s Audit and Finance Committee got together Wednesday, Jan. 17 for a pretty routine meeting.

First up, mayor Mike Savage brought forward a financial indicators report as an information item. In a bureaucratic rondelay, the HRM compiles information, sends it to the province, the province sends back this report and then the city can use the report to talk about its own finances. (In a temporal rondelay, since 2023’s report is not yet out, the report under discussion at this point in 2024 is from 2022.) Except for Halifax’s infrastructure requiring a massive investment in the near future, things are looking okay-ish. But the report generated a bit of discussion when Savage pointed out the HRM is far too dependent on property tax as a source of revenue.

He pointed to other cities that have property taxes making up about 40% of municipal revenue, compared to Halifax’s revenue split: As the above chart from the report shows, property taxes are over 72% of Halifax’s revenue.

Read Matt Stickland’s full Audit and Finance Committee recap at The Coast.

🤔 Need to know

🔥 A 22-year-old man, Dalton Clark Stewart, is facing multiple charges in relation to last spring’s Barrington Lake wildfire.

🤝 Atlantic Lottery has existed for almost 50 years now and 100% of profits have always been returned to the region. "Every penny is reinvested in our communities."*

🚨 Police are looking for a historical nameplate that was taken from a train displayed at the Nova Scotia Museum of Industry.

*Sponsored Post

🗞️ In Other News

🩺 According to newly updated numbers from Statistics Canada, Nova Scotia has the highest disability rate in the country, and that number continues to increase. These numbers raise even more questions about the reliability of the province’s healthcare system. 

🏠 With no end to the housing crisis in sight, many people in Halifax are looking for alternatives to the traditional home, including expandable homes. 

🎧 CBC spoke with Brian Pelrine, also known as DJ IV, who is celebrating a 25-year-long career in the Maritimes. 

🧑‍⚖️ A former employee of the Nova Scotia premier's office, Nargis DeMolitor, is suing for wrongful dismissal.

🎤 Calls urging the federal government to invest more in the Canada Music Fund continue to grow.

⚖️ Lawyers for the student accused in last March’s stabbings at Charles P. Allen High School are claiming the teen’s Charter rights were breached. 

🎥 Hear Nova Scotia filmmaker Tyler Olsen talk about his new film, Look At Me.

SPONSORED BY SYMPHONY NOVA SCOTIA

Chase those winter blues away

By attending a Symphony Nova Scotia concert. There's something for every music lover. From Bach, Mozart, Beethoven and Vivaldi to the music of rock group Queen, Gordon Lightfoot and Gershwin. Shake off the winter chill with special family concerts, Video Games Live, and a one-time-only performance at 1983 prices! Don't miss out. Get tickets now!

🗓️ Things To Do

Looking for something to do this weekend? Check out these Coast picks 

🗓 Daniel Romano’s Outfit: Catch this Canadian indie rock band at the Marquee Ballroom Friday night for a genre-defying performance | Jan. 19 | 9pm | $34.20

🗓 Comedy Night: Toronto comedians Kyle Patan, Maddy Kelly and Sam Burns will be at Good Robot Brewing this week for a pair of back-to-back shows | Jan. 20 | 7pm & 9pm | $17.31

🗓 Winter Carnival: Enjoy some family-friendly fun Saturday at the Discovery Centre’s Winter Carnival. There will be science fun, carnival games, concessions, inflatables, face painting and more Jan. 20 | 6-9pm | $28.75

Find more Halifax events in The Coast listings

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

Wild for gnocchi: Add 2 Door Down’s Wild Mushroom Gnocchi to your must-try list. The handmade gnocchi is mixed with Maritime Gourmet mushrooms and leafy greens topped with a cheesy broth. And there’s a gluten-free option available. 

Breakfast for lunch & dinner: Ramblers is now offering all-day breakfast from 7:30am until 4pm.

Kyo’s comeback: Under new ownership, Kyo Bar & Kitchen is reopening with a soft launch this weekend. The Barrington Street eatery will have specials and surprises during the soft launch period, Jan. 20 to 31 (closed on Jan. 22 and 23) from 5pm to 10pm.

🛍 Shop Talk

Shop away the weekend: Buck Ugly’s is holding a vintage market this weekend, January 21 from 1pm to 5pm. The market with feature local artists, crafts, vintage items, music, food and clothing. 

A sustainable choice: Stop by Sattva Boutique’s pop-up consignment shop, your chance to score bargains on previously loved clothes until January 29. All items are made in Canada! 

A new waterfront resident: Caffè Lucca will have a permanent spot at the Salt Yard this summer thanks to Build Nova Scotia.

👀 In Case You Missed It

•  The city will no longer be conducting ice thickness testing on lakes and ponds because climate change has impacted its feasibility. 

•  The Emera Oval is now offering sensory-friendly skates every Monday from 4pm to 5pm.

•  A memorial to Halifax’s unhoused population, Halifax poet laureate Sue Goyette’s poem has found a life of its own—and arrives amid another cold winter for those outdoors. Read Martin Bauman’s full story at The Coast.

That’s it!

Thanks for reading The Coast Daily today ❤️ 

If you found something useful, consider forwarding this newsletter to another Haligonian.

And before you go, let us know: